Common Ground: Second Language Acquisition Theory Goes to the Classroom ed. by, Florencia G. Henshaw and Maris D. Hawkins

Abstract

Reviewed by: Common Ground: Second Language Acquisition Theory Goes to the Classroom ed. by, Florencia G. Henshaw and Maris D. Hawkins Heather Sandy Henshaw, Florencia G., and Maris D. Hawkins. Common Ground: Second Language Acquisition Theory Goes to the Classroom. Hackett Publishing Company, 2022. Pp. 198. ISBN 978-1-64793-006-6. Common Ground: Second Language Acquisition Theory Goes to the Classroom presents definitions and background information of basic principles of second language acquisition (SLA) along with examples of classroom applications. The book focuses on the three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) at varying proficiency levels. The text is organized into three sections: SLA and Pedagogy, Interpretive Communication, and Presentational and Interpersonal Communication. In the first chapter of the first section, the authors focus on definitions and guiding principles of SLA. In the second chapter, they focus on planning for assessment and assessing for proficiency. The focus of the second section is interpretive communication, and the first chapter in the section provides information on what input, both aural and visual, should look like in a language classroom. The authors discuss the comprehensibility of resources made for language learners [End Page 158] versus materials written by native speakers for native speakers. The next chapter continues explaining strategies of reading, listening, and viewing input with activity examples. The final section of the text discusses output—presentational and interpersonal. The first chapter focuses on the characteristics and role of output in the language classroom, as well as suggestions on how to scaffold the output process. The authors present Swain’s Output Hypothesis (137) in contrast to Krashen’s Input Hypothesis (68–69). Although the authors focus more on input throughout the book, they acknowledge the importance of output. “If our goal is to help learners develop communicative ability in the target language, then both input and output should have a place in our curriculum because they play important, yet different, roles in language acquisition and development” (138). In the next chapter, the authors focus on interpersonal communication. They present characteristics and the role of interaction in the language classroom, as well as a discussion of the types of tasks students complete. At the beginning of each chapter, the authors ask the reader to answer a few questions before beginning to read—a pre-test, which is also an outline of the topics to be discussed in each chapter. Readers are to decide if the statements are true or false. For example, at the beginning of chapter six, the authors declare “Recasts are the most effective way of providing oral corrective feedback” (161). The reader is told that “Once you have finished, or while you are reading this chapter, verify your answers” (161). However, the reader is not reminded of the questions again. To continue, in each chapter, the authors offer a few sections titled, “In case you’re wondering” where they ask a question and succinctly answer the question related to the topic of the chapter. For example, in chapter two, which focuses on proficiency, the authors ask, “What do I do if I have a group of students with very different proficiency levels from day 1?” (32). This is an example of a question language educators may have but does not necessitate the need for a separate section in the chapter. Having a few of these boxed, short sections in each chapter helps to break up the technical focus of the SLA discussion. Each chapter concludes with five to nine examples titled, “What Does It Look Like in the Classroom?” The authors present examples at varying proficiency levels focusing on the three modes. Each chapter also concludes with a section titled, “Now That You Know,” which contains discussion and expansion questions and observation and application activities that can be done individually or in a group setting by pre-service or current teachers. The authors also provide a website that offers a list of suggested readings, webinars, and other resources through the publishing company. Once there, readers can access links to journal articles, books, blog posts, webinars, podcasts, video-casts, online databases, and other resources that support and expand upon the topics in the text. The additional resources offer a multitude...